{"id":2102,"date":"2013-05-06T08:45:51","date_gmt":"2013-05-06T12:45:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mayahoodblog.com\/?p=2102"},"modified":"2024-07-12T03:23:55","modified_gmt":"2024-07-12T07:23:55","slug":"five-tips-for-brushing-your-kids-teeth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mayahoodblog.com\/five-tips-for-brushing-your-kids-teeth\/","title":{"rendered":"Five tips for brushing your kids’ teeth"},"content":{"rendered":"

It seems that along with sleep issues, the other problem that a lot parents of infants and toddlers struggle with is teeth brushing. I know that makes me quite the exception though as typically, kids hate brushing their teeth.\u00a0 My son doesn’t mind it, but only because he thinks the fluoride-free toothpaste tastes like candy.\u00a0 So really, he’s mostly eating (toothpaste), not brushing.\u00a0 We can obviously use some help in this department!<\/p>\n

Dr. Lori Goldenberg is a pediatric dentist practicing in Toronto. She graduated from University of Toronto and trained at the Hospital for Sick Children. If she isn’t available in your area, options like Van Hoof Dental<\/a> are also commendable.<\/p>\n

Here she shares her top 5 pointers for brushing your children’s teeth.<\/p>\n

1) Start early: get your kids used to having their teeth brushed as early as possible. It’s going to seem weird at first and you may not feel like you’re doing anything, but keep at it. You are. I started making a point of brushing my teeth in front of my daughter when she was really young and telling her about it so that she might be interested in it when the time came to brushing her teeth. There is also a really fantastic Elmo Song called Brushy Brush Brush (see link below) that I have been playing for her since she was tiny and she is in LOVE with it. The more exposure to things kids get when they are younger, the more interested and accepting of those things they will hopefully be when they are older.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=wxMrtK-kYnE<\/p>\n

2) It’s ok for kids to brush by themselves for practice but they don’t usually have enough control of their hands to brush by themselves until they can tie their own shoelaces- so parents, it’s up to you to get in there every day, twice a day to get the teeth clean. Don’t wait for dental issues to escalate; see a dentist like Gabriel Hershman<\/a> regularly for preventive care.<\/p>\n

3) Until your child has molars (the big teeth in the back), you can wipe the teeth with a wet wash cloth or gauze. Once the molars come in (usually around a year old), you should switch to a toothbrush. I started with a toothbrush from the get-go but either way is fine. For expert advice on dental care, consider consulting Las Vegas Dentists<\/a> for personalized guidance and care for your child’s dental health.<\/p>\n

4) Until your kids can spit, water and a toothbrush is fine to brush with. Start using fluoridated toothpaste once they are able to spit unless your dentists tells you otherwise. Finding a dentist like Eicon Dental Clinic<\/a>\u00a0is vital for your kids’ oral health.<\/p>\n

5) Most kids dislike having their teeth brushed- especially at first, but it’s one of those things (like cutting their nails) that has to get done. Positioning is important. You will have the most control over the brush and your little one if you are standing behind your child. You can use one of your arms to hug their arms so they can’t grab the brush, and the other arm to brush. Apart from regular brushing, visiting a dentist in downtown Chicago<\/a> ensures comprehensive dental care and long-term oral health.<\/p>\n

Tilt your child’s head back a bit so that you can see where the toothbrush is going. I have my one year old sitting on the bathroom counter while I stand behind her and brush. She moves her head like crazy but I just try to do the best I can to stabilize her head and arms and I go for it. It may be a struggle at first, but stick with it. It won’t be a struggle forever. If you’re concerned about your kids’ dental health, it’s important to consider that they might develop dental problems. That’s where dentist maple ridge<\/a> can provide assistance and guidance.\"brushing-teeth-mother-with-son-300x201\"<\/a><\/p>\n

And here’s some further advice to frequently asked questions<\/p>\n

Q: How much toothpaste should be used when brushing my child’s teeth?<\/p>\n

A: You should be using a very tiny amount of toothpaste. The size of a grain of rice is enough to get the effect of the fluoride. If your child swallows that little amount occasionally it’s no big deal. For more information, consult gloworthodontics.ca<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Q: My child refuses to open their mouth for brushing.\u00a0 What should I do?<\/p>\n

A: Try playing that brushy brush YouTube video and try brushing at the same time. Sometimes kids will mimic what they see. Lots of kids clamp down when they are young but they eventually open up. If you’re standing behind\u00a0them with the toothbrush near their mouth, put it in as soon as they open and if\u00a0they clamps down on it keep it there until\u00a0they opens again and keep doing that until she gets used to it. It may be a bit time consuming to do it this way but\u00a0they will eventually let you brush.\"kidsbrushing\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Q: What type of toothbrush should I be using? \/ How long can I use the finger toothbrush with rubber bristles?<\/p>\n

A: once your\u00a0child has their molars it’s a good idea to switch to a infant size toothbrush because the finger brush doesn’t have bristles to clean the grooves of the molars.<\/p>\n

Q: How long should I be brushing my little one’s teeth for?<\/p>\n

A: Don’t worry too much about the amount of time.\u00a0 Just try to get in there and do your best. i.e. 15 seconds is plenty<\/p>\n

Q: What’s the best way to clean my kid’s toothbrush?<\/p>\n

A: You can rinse the toothbrush with water – no need to use soap.<\/p>\n

If you have any further questions, you may consult your local family dentist<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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I know that makes me quite the exception though as typically, kids hate brushing their teeth.\u00a0 My son doesn’t mind it, but only because he thinks the fluoride-free toothpaste tastes like candy.\u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Five tips for brushing your kids' teeth http:\/\/wp.me\/p3dEqj-xU","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1343,137227060,406,124,5309,137227202],"tags":[137227039,137227040,137227041],"class_list":{"0":"post-2102","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-children","7":"category-expert-advice","8":"category-family","9":"category-life","10":"category-parenting","11":"category-welness-health","12":"tag-children-teeth-brushing","13":"tag-my-child-hates-brushing","14":"tag-tips-for-brushing-kid-teeth","15":"entry","16":"has-post-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\nFive tips for brushing your kids' teeth - Mayahood<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mayahoodblog.com\/five-tips-for-brushing-your-kids-teeth\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Five tips for brushing your kids' teeth\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It seems that along with sleep issues, the other problem that a lot parents of infants and toddlers struggle with is teeth brushing. 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